Concerns have been raised over the number of unaccompanied asylum seeking children at hotels on the Nottinghamshire border, and "the robust nature of the age assessment process" prior to their arrival.
It comes as Government plans to house 400 asylum seekers in some local hotels have sparked fears this could endanger children, create community tensions, and place 'unbearable strain' on schools and local NHS services such as GPs and midwives, a local council has said.
Hundreds of asylum seekers have been housed in Best Western and Novotel hotels on Bostocks Lane, on the road between Long Eaton and Sandiacre.
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Correspondence attained by Derbyshire Live from Derbyshire County Council, contributed towards by Derbyshire's integrated care board, comes as residents have expressed concern as to the impact of asylum seekers being housed in the hoteks. It states that there are a significant number of unaccompanied children seeking asylum who require care and safeguarding.
This particular letter, sent on October 14, reads: "Since the Best Western has been used for homing asylum seekers there have been a substantial number of children who are clearly UASC (unaccompanied asylum seeking children) cases referred to local authority for age assessment and care. There are concerns about the robust nature of the age assessment process prior to children being transported to Asylum Contingency Accommodation and the potential risks they face in that environment.
"As a result of the age dispute cases from the Best Western an additional 10-bedroom unit has had to be commissioned as there are not sufficient suitable placements locally to meet new and emerging urgent demand alongside already high volumes of children in local authority care.
"There are referrals still being made about children at the hotel although usually not formally via Serco, against Home Office protocols. The addition of a further site would place an unsustainable burden of local services. In October 2021, Derbyshire accommodated 19 children from a different dispersal hotel – all of whom were adjudged subsequently to be children."
There are also fears that the busy national speed limit road which runs between the hotels and the hotel grounds at the Novotel presents a risk for children housed at the site.
Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) is concerned that this additional contingency hotel in Long Eaton puts a great deal of pressure on the GP Practices within Erewash Primary Care Network. They are already providing services to one hotel and this extra burden risks jeopardising the quality of that service and the services that they are able to offer as part of their mainstream General Practice.
"The same applies to other services such as midwifery and 0-19 services who will also need to be stood up if this is a hotel placement for families. This is further impacted by the challenges in data sharing between the site and the health providers, which is resulting in a significant number of missed appointments.
"In addition, the impact for local schools and the education community is unknown at the present time but cannot be underestimated in light of the limitations in capacity and expertise to respond to a high volume of specialist need."
Councillor Barry Lewis, Leader of Derbyshire County Council, said: “We have a long tradition of welcoming people seeking asylum and refugees in Derbyshire.
“We’re currently supporting around 1,200 refugees from Ukraine, we helped to resettle those fleeing conflict in Afghanistan and Syria in recent years and many residents will remember how we welcomed refugees from war-torn Kosovo in the 1990s.
“We fully appreciate the need for local authorities to play their part in supporting people seeking asylum and stand ready to help. But when Government notified us it was to open a second hotel in Erewash to people seeking asylum, we sent a joint letter to the Home Office from the county council, Erewash Borough Council and the local NHS representative for GPs to express concerns about the disproportionate pressure this would place on public services locally.
“As a council we do not have a say in how many people seeking asylum are accommodated in hotels as the Home Office makes this decision, along with where they will be staying or for how long. We’re continuing to push for the Home Office to consult with local councils and health partners, who best know the pressure on public services in their area, before decisions are taken over which we have no control.”
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